


The Morning After

by Ninke_A



Series: Getting Together and Staying Together [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Insecure Lance, Langst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:10:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11315010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninke_A/pseuds/Ninke_A
Summary: The morning after Movie night, Lance's insecurities show themselves, and he slips out, leaving just a note. Shiro and Keith are not having any of that.





	The Morning After

**Author's Note:**

> I had a LOT of people ask me for a sequel to Movie Night Cuddles. Well, here you all are. It's going to be a series now, but updates will be sporadic, as this is one I will only write on when inspired. I have a few more actually thought out but please bear with me if updates are slow.
> 
> Please let me know what you think?

When Lance woke up, he was halfway off the couch. He shifted, falling the rest of the way and catching himself on his hands before his face met the floor. He stayed like that for a while, hands flat and cheek barely brushing the smooth wooden floor, before he finally stretched his arms straight. Shiro and Keith were still on the couch, Keith had burrowed deep into the cushions on the back and was tucked between Shiro and the couch. Shiro was sprawled on his back, one arm half over his face and the other dangling down toward the floor.

 

For a tick, just one tick, Lance let himself soak in the sight of the two men he loved, before shaking his head and rising to his feet as quietly as possible. Neither of them were really deep sleepers, not like Lance was, but so far neither had stirred. Part of Lance, really just wanted to climb back on the couch and go back to sleep, warm and comfortable, but now that he was awake, he was second guessing himself again.

 

Logically, Lance knew that last night had not been a dream. Waking up with both of them kind of drove that point home, but he wasn’t sure that Keith and Shiro really wanted him. They said they had, but they hadn’t really explained why. Was it just for a little extra fun? Lance didn’t think either of them would be the type to do that, but really, what else did he have to offer them? He wasn’t financially stable, hell, he didn’t even have job right now, he had no real talents, his apartment was a tiny hole in the wall neither of them would ever be caught dead in, and...

 

He shook head hard, trying to at least, quiet those thoughts. While it was true, the only things Lance had ever been better at either of them at was cooking and drawing, Keith said he fit there, with them. Shiro had said he had plenty to offer. He had to be missing something.

 

He absently, took a couple of steps back and collected his jacket from the floor. His mind kept spinning, from one point to another, as he slipped it on, and moved as quietly as possible to the door for his shoes. He wanted to stay, he wanted that more than anything, but what if they changed their minds later? Lance didn’t think he could handle that. They might want him now, Lance admitted that, but, what about later? When they figured out that Lance had no great future ahead of him like they did? When they realized, that he only had a couple of months worth of money left in his savings? Lance could not think of anything about himself that was special enough to warrant either of them being willing to take care of him. Lance didn’t want that. He wanted to do the taking care of… but he couldn’t, he never had been stable enough to take care of himself, let alone someone amazing like Shiro or Keith.

 

He bit his lip, as he reached for the door, but paused, hand hovering just over the knob. He slipped back into the living room, and scribbled a note, sticking it on the table before leaving as quietly as he could. There were no buses on Sunday, but maybe the long walk back to his place would help him clear his head and figure out just what he should do.

 

*********

 

When Shiro woke up, he had a crick in his neck, Keith’s elbow in his side and the sense that something was missing. He blearily blinked at the ceiling before carefully moving Keith’s arm. He slowly sat up, stretching before his eyes landed on a bright orange post it sitting on the table. It took another minute for it to dawn on him. Lance. Lance was what was missing. He lunged for the paper, banging his knee on the floor loud enough to startle Keith awake.

 

Keith bolted upright at the loud bang, hair sticking up all over, and ready to pounce. It took him a second to realize the only thing there to fight was Shiro. He sighed, relaxing a bit and rubbing his eyes.

 

“The hell, Shiro?”

 

Shiro had all his attention on the little orange note. It was short, and he’d already read it twice but he scanned it one more time, just to be absolutely sure the words hadn’t changed.

 

_‘Thanks for letting me stay. Had to get home. See you, Lance’_

 

Shiro turned, absently rubbing his knee to look at Keith. “Lance left.”

 

It took Keith half the time it took Shiro to figure it out, then he was up and moving. Keith jumped the arm of the couch, and dashed down the hall to their room. Shiro heard muffled curses, and several loud bangs before Keith was back, slipping a bit in his socks. Keith had his normal pants on, and a jacket over his sleep shirt. His hair was actually worse than before and Shiro couldn’t help but smile.

 

“Keith…”

 

Keith was busy shoving his boots on. “Come on Shiro.”

 

“Keith.” He had to bite back a laugh when Keith actually put one of his gloves on inside out.

 

“I did not wait all this time for him to just go home like it never happened.” Keith finally finished and planted his hands on his hips, glaring at Shiro. “So let’s.. You aren’t even ready!”

 

Shiro finally let the laugh slip out. It was tinged with a hint of panic but it helped him calm down. “Okay, okay. I’ll go change. But.. are you sure you want to go after Lance looking like that?” Shiro made his own way down the hall, smiling again at Keith’s startled curse.

 

*********

 

Once they were ready, actually ready, and getting in Shiro’s truck, that they realized a new problem. Shiro had no idea where Lance actually lived. He knew it was closer to Hunk and Pidge’s than their own place, and that it was near a bus stop. He glanced over at Keith.

 

“Do you know where Lance lives?”

 

Keith scowled and opened his mouth only to close it immediately. “Uh, no… I thought you knew?”

 

Shiro shook his head. Everyone knew that Lance used buses to get around town, which was why they never commented when he would show up late, but Shiro had never really asked him about his place. He was pretty sure Lance had told them at some point where it was. They all kept track of each other’s information, just in case something happened. “Maybe he told Hunk?”

 

Keith’s frown grew, and he fiddled with his phone, as Shiro started the truck. “Why wouldn’t he tell us?” His hands were curled around his phone, but he kept his eyes on the street.

 

Shiro planned to just head toward Hunk and Pidge’s place, and go from there. “I don’t know, Keith. He’s the only one that didn’t ask for help moving once we all graduated.” Lance had been there, in the middle of January when Keith and Shiro moved into their place, and he was there when Hunk and Pidge moved just a month ago. But since graduation almost two years ago, Shiro could not remember one time he had been to Lance’s.

 

The phone chimed then, and Keith snatched it up. “Hunk says he isn’t exactly sure where it is, but he has an address.” Keith rattled out the location then frowned again. “That’s… not a good area…”

 

Shiro pressed his lips tightly together and drove a little faster.

 

*********

 

Lance dropped his duffle bag into the middle of the room and studied the area. His place was tiny, really only one room, with a miniscule kitchen separated by a wobbly counter and one tiny hall that lead to a bathroom. Lance hated that bathroom more than anything else on the planet. He could barely turn around, the shower was always cold and he was convinced that there was something living under his sink. The paint was peeling away from the walls, and the floor creaked.

 

He suppressed a sigh when his neighbor started up that horrible singing again. Honestly, the guy was nice, really nice, but he couldn’t hear very well and sang at all hours of the day. But, it was fine. He was going to go and crash with Hunk and Pidge for a couple of days. He wasn’t supposed to leave for home until Wednesday, and maybe by then he could figure out just what it was Keith and Shiro wanted from him. Despite the long walk, Lance still hadn’t been able to wrap his mind around it. For every good point he thought up about himself he easily came up with at least three more bad ones. While it would probably be easiest to just call them and ask, Lance didn’t want to have to explain to them why he wasn’t right for them. He had never heard of a poly relationship that worked equally. Oh, he was certain there were some out there, and that those people were happy, but he personally had never seen one. Besides, how long would it be before they got sick of him? Two months? Three? He couldn’t imagine them being willing to wait too long for him to get his life together, and honestly, Lance couldn’t ask them to.

 

He shook his head, slipping the duffle over his shoulder. He needed to get out of here, go spend some time with Hunk and Pidge, who wouldn’t let him wallow in his thoughts like this.  Unlike Keith and Shiro, they knew he had issues with insecurity, and they had learned to spot the signs and distract him before it got too bad. That was really what he needed and he had a open invite to stay anytime. He hadn’t taken advantage of it before, but he certainly was going to now. He needed to think about this with a clear head and he could not do that here.

 

*********

 

Shiro was honestly appalled and he could tell that Keith was not much better. They had managed to find Lance’s apartment building with little trouble but they did not like what they were seeing. There was no elevator, and the stairs were narrow and badly maintained. There was a screaming kid in one of the apartments two floors up, and the carpet in the halls was torn and old. By the third floor they could hear singing, very loud and badly off key singing. It only got louder by the time they reached the fifth floor and stood in the narrow hall looking at Lance’s door.

 

The door was at one time painted white, but large chunks of paint had peeled off and it looked more like a dalmation than an actual door. The number plate was crooked, and knob tarnished. Shiro hated to think that this was where Lance lived. Had apparently lived since graduation. Were things really that bad for him?  


Keith on the other hand, just wanted to grab Lance and drag him all the way back to their house and keep him there. Lance was too bright, too cheerful and happy to live in a place so rundown. Plus, it was cold, cold enough that Keith had goosebumps under his jacket. Lance hated the cold. Yes, it was late August, and still plenty warm outside, but here, in this building it was cold.

 

Shiro moved to knock on the door, when it opened, right before his fist could make contact. There was Lance, a blue duffel bag slung over one shoulder. They all stared at each other for a tick then Lance’s mouth moved, but the singing neighbor let out a badly done high pitched sound right then and there was no chance for Shiro to hear what Lance said. All he saw, was Lance’s shoulders slumping a bit, and him shaking his head.

 

For his part, Keith studied as much of the apartment behind Lance that he could, which wasn’t much. It didn’t look in any better shape than the rest of the building, and that coupled with the crying kids and singing neighbor only increased Keith desire to drag Lance out and never let him come back.

 

“Um.. hi?” Lance’s fingers tightened on his bag strap. “What brings you guys here?”

 

“You left.” Keith crossed his arms, frowning a bit as the neighbor finally quieted down some. “Of course we came after you.”

 

Lance shifted a bit, and Shiro really just wanted to hug him. It took a lot to stay where he was and let Lance make the first move. Well, second, Shiro felt they had been pretty clear the night before.

 

“Oh, well…” Lance then smiled wide and gestured them inside. “It’s not much, but come in. I was just going to crash at Hunk and Pidge’s for a couple of days before my bus leaves. Don’t mind the guy next door. He can’t hear well, and doesn’t always know how loud he is.”

 

Lance was rambling, which Shiro didn’t like. He only did it when he was nervous or embarrassed. Still, he followed Keith into the room, unable to hide his frown. It was, to be blunt, a dump. There was hardly enough space for the three of them, and one of the two windows whistled because it did not close. The kitchen looked more like something fit for Shiro or Keith, not Lance who enjoyed cooking.

 

“Wait, so you are still going home?” Keith’s voice was a little shaky, but he steadied it, and fixed his frown on Lance, who was standing awkwardly near the door.

 

“Well.. yeah, I already told mama I was coming. If I don’t show up, she’ll worry.”

 

Keith relaxed a bit, but Shiro tensed. Lance still hadn’t stated if he was coming back or not, and there was too much undiscussed for him to leave right now. “Why didn’t you just stay with us?” Okay, he had obviously been spending too much time with Keith, because that was far too blunt and to the point. Shiro had been planning on easing into that, but well, what’s done is done.

 

Lance laughed, high and obviously fake. “I wasn’t planning on staying anywhere but here, Shiro. But, Pidge wanted some help and I’m pretty good at holding wires if I do say so myself…”

 

“No Lance. Why didn’t you _stay_ with _us_?” Shiro repeated stressing the key words.

 

Long fingers tightened on the strap of the bag, and Lance studied the worn carpet under his shoes. The only sounds in the room where the whistling of the wind and the singing from next door.

 

“Well... I wasn’t.. I mean..” Lance blew out a large breath, and Shiro watched Lance steel himself.

 

It was something Lance did all the time, so Shiro knew what it looked it. Lance always closed his eyes first and took a large breath. Then he’d raise his chin, and look like he didn’t care about anything.

 

“I wasn’t sure how long I was supposed to stay.”

 

Shiro’s eyes widened, and he heard Keith suck in a sharp breath. There was a tiny part of Shiro that crumbled at the words. Maybe they hadn’t been as clear as they thought. Shiro took a step, ready to explain when Keith exploded into movement. He lurched across the small space, catching Lance by the shoulders and holding him there. Lance’s eyes were wide, and his bag hit the floor with a thud.

 

When Keith spoke his voice was low and harsh, the way it always got when he was furious and trying not to let it all out. “You are coming home with us. We are talking about this. Right now.”

 

Lance stared for just a moment longer before he nodded, just once, and ducked out of Keith’s hold to grab the bag. He didn’t say a word as they left, didn’t even bother locking the apartment, just followed along. That worried Shiro almost more than the apartment did.

 

*********

 

It was likely, the most awkward car ride of Lance’s entire life. Squashed between Shiro and Keith, Lance wrapped his arms around his bag, and bit hard on his lip to keep from talking. He hated awkward situations, and this one was only going to get worse. So Lance focused on ignoring the glances Shiro kept giving him and the flat glare from Keith. Lance knew the moment he had opened his door to find them both there that he was not going to get out of this. Which was honestly fine. He hadn’t wanted to do this, explain to them exactly why he wasn’t really worth their time, but he had always known that he would have to. He just.. really wished he could have talked to Hunk first. Pidge was great, but Hunk got him in a way that no one else ever did.

  


When they arrived, Lance kept a tight hold on his bag and glared fiercely when Shiro tried to take it. Instead, he stayed quiet, waiting for one of them to speak first.

 

Unsurprisingly, it was Keith. “Lance, you can’t really think that we’d ask you to stay and not mean it.” Keith still sounded angry, but Lance could understand it. He hated being doubted after all.

 

“Of course you meant it, but you didn’t say how long I would stay.” Lance kept his own voice low and quiet. “I needed to clear my head, so I went home.”

 

“Did we upset you last night?” Shiro asked, looking worried. Lance hated that he was the reason behind it. He just wanted to curl up, let them comfort him, but really, why would they want to?

 

In order for Lance to make sure they understood, he had to be as honest as possible. That meant he had to tell them everything he’d been keeping to himself. “Last night, was like a gift. It was something I wanted for a long time.. but I can’t have it. I’m not worth it.” This was harder than he thought it would be, but in the end, it would be better for Shiro and Keith this way. “I’m going home.”

 

“But, you just said you wanted to be here!”

 

“Are you coming back?”

 

Lance shook his head, voice still low. “No. Of course, I want to be here, but I’m not stupid, Keith. I know it’d only be temporary and I can’t do that, I can’t just have you for a while and then move on. So, no Shiro, I’m not coming back this time. There’s no point.”

 

Keith’s eyes were wide and there was no sign of his earlier anger. “But, if you want to be here and we want you here, why are you still leaving?”

 

This was it, just tell them, rip it off like a band aid and then go lick your wounds in peace. Lance swallowed, straightened his shoulders, and told them the truth. “Because it’s only temporary. It’s only a matter of time before you get sick of me!”

 

Shiro shook his head but Lance kept talking.

 

“I have no future, not like you do. My art has been turned down everywhere I’ve taken it to. I don’t have a job and no one around here will hire me, believe me I’ve tried. I’m broke, I can stay maybe two months before I have to go back home anyway. At least there, I can work with my brother. I don’t have anything to offer you, either of you, and there’s no point in pretending otherwise. I don’t have any practical talents and no one wants to take care of a grown man forever. Best case, I’d get maybe three months before you decide I need to go. You’ll be nice about it, but I can’t handle that. I.. just _can’t_.” He swallowed again voice cracking despite the low tone. “You deserve better than me.”

 

*********

 

Shiro was horrified with what he was hearing. He didn’t agree with any of it but it did explain a lot. No wonder Lance lived in such a bad part of town if his finances were so bad. Of course he had left that morning, thinking he wasn’t worth them or their time, thinking that it was only temporary. Lance had left to spare himself, what he thought, was certain hurt. Lance gave so much of himself to his friends, and he put himself last if it meant his friends were the better for it. For Lance to actively protect himself, part of Shiro respected that. He hated that Lance felt that he had to, and he had every intention of fixing it, but he respected it.

 

Keith, on the other hand, just kept staring. He couldn’t wrap his mind around any of it. Lance’s drawings were beautiful. How could anyone turn him down? There was a large picture on the wall of the bedroom that Lance had drawn for them. It was of the entire group, and to Keith it was better than any photograph, because Lance had made it for _them_. He couldn’t believe that no one would hire Lance, he was great with people, and would do well at any job. His hands curled into fists, anger growing at all the people that had pushed Lance to this point. Made him think he was nothing.

 

“Lance.” Shiro kept his voice soft. “Why didn’t you tell us? Or Hunk or Pidge? We wouldn’t have judged you for it.”

 

Lance scoffed, “Would you tell your friends you were a failure? No, the last thing I ever wanted to see from any of you was pity.”

 

Keith took a step toward Lance, then stilled. He wanted to move closer, pull Lance close like he would with Shiro. He just.. wasn’t sure it would be welcome. “Lance..”

 

He took a breath, closing his eyes for just a moment, and repeating to himself that he was not allowed to cry, that it was best for them this way. “It’s fine. You were right, we needed to have this talk.” He forced a smile. “Now you know, and.. We can all part as friends..” No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop his eyes from watering.

 

It was Shiro that lurched forward this time, hands curling around Lance’s upper arms in a sad mimicry of the previous night. It broke his heart to see the tears gathering in Lance’s eyes, to know that this was hurting Lance and much as it hurt him or Keith.

 

But it was Keith that blurted out what Shiro was thinking. “No! Lance, you can’t go! Please, it’s not temporary, it’s not!”

 

Shiro kept his hold on Lance, wanting to agree with Keith, to tell Lance that it didn’t matter, that it would get better, that he could stay with them. That they could stay together, but his mouth wouldn’t move, all he could do was hold on.

 

“Will you think that in a month, when the floor is covered in drawings and none of it is doing anyone any good?” Lance’s voice was the that was shaky now. “In two months, when I have to ask for money to buy groceries? In three, when it’s so obvious that I’m never going to be anything else but a weight, dragging you down?”

 

“Yes.” Shiro finally managed, almost choking the word out. “In three months, when we come home, dead tired, grouchy and you smile at us, making the day that much brighter. In four months, when you surprise us with something terribly touching and adorable for Christmas. After six months, when we wake up to a cute doodle and a note saying you went for another interview because you won’t ever stop trying. After a year, when I swear that I will keep you both for eternity if you will let me..” Shiro paused, and loosened one hand enough to touch Lance’s cheek and wipe away a renegade tear.

 

“In two years, long after you’ve gotten famous and you come back from an exposition, tired and hungry and we give you some black pile of what should be cookies but we ruined and you eat them anyway.” Keith picked up where Shiro left off, steadily moving closer. “In five years, when all of Shiro’s hair is white, and we trick him into being Santa at the school. After ten years and you beat us out for getting to hold Hunk and Pidge’s kid first.” Keith caught Lance’s hand, twining their fingers together and holding on tightly. “In twenty years, fifty. There’s no time limit, Lance. It’s just us, for as long as we live.”

 

Shiro couldn’t keep up with the tears streaming down Lance’s face anymore, so he did the next best thing, he pulled him close, his arm wrapping around his waist, and the other, his prosthetic hand worked it's way up, pressing on the back of Lance’s neck. He felt Keith, worm an arm between them, holding Lance from behind with one arm while the other kept a tight hold on Lance’s hand.

 

Lance’s head dropped onto Shiro’s shoulder, which quickly grew wet. His free hand slowly came up to grip the back of Shiro’s shirt but his voice was thin when he finally spoke. “But.. you deserve so much better…”

 

Keith scoffed. “There isn’t anyone better.”

 

“We want you, Lance. Just, give us a chance. You’ll see, it’ll last, I promise.” Shiro knew it would. It would be rocky, especially at first, but they knew now, knew how Lance felt. Shiro wasn’t going to let it stop them though, and he was sure Keith wouldn’t either, not with how tight he was holding on.

 

Keith tucked his own head onto Lance’s shoulder, holding tight. He was not going to let go this time. He wasn’t going to give Lance another chance to start thinking that way. There wasn’t anyone better for them than Lance. His smiles and little gestures. Keith actually liked the idea of Lance’s drawings scattered around _their_ home. Lance with charcoal smudged on his cheek and staining his fingers. Lance, in their kitchen, with a silly apron on, making something delicious. Waking up to Shiro’s fingers in his hair and Lance tucked into his chest. Keith was not going to risk not having those things.

 

Lance’s head never moved from it’s spot on Shiro’s shoulder, but he nodded and offered a weak, “okay.” So, Shiro counted it as a win. They had a lot to talk about, Lance’s apartment, his insecurities, how Shiro and Keith could help. He wanted the date he had mentioned last night, to plan it out with Keith and for them to woo Lance like he deserved. Shiro was going to do whatever he had to to prove to Lance, that this was exactly where he should be.


End file.
